A Voice For The Youth And A Challenge

Letters To The Editor

Dear Editor,
I’m going to be honest with you – I’m not a professional. In fact, I’m the opposite: I’m a fifteen year old kid who steals her parent’s Metro Times to read Savage Love, waits nerdily for the next Futurama or My Little Pony episode to come out on YouTube, and plays a ukulele while screaming Lady Gaga lyrics, specifically “Born This Way.” Am I young and stupid? Well, yeah. But that is what you, dear Editor, need for Between the Lines. After all, when reading your publication, something that I’ve been doing since I came out (think of a twelve year old, straight faced, saying, “Mom, Dad, if you want to kick me out, you can, but I want some money first!”), I realize that it’s written from a gay male viewpoint, as opposed to the whole LGBT community. We need everyone to be represented – first and foremost – but also, we need the youth. After all, we’re the future of you guys. We’ll be the ones to find cures for HIV and equality across the nation. We’re going to be like the nuclear bomb after the last LGBT generation’s warfare, and that’s pretty impressive.
That being said, I, Evelyn Dykes (real name), would like to propose a column of to be written by myself that chronicles the lives of several LGBT teenagers and children. Please, please, please let me do this, because even though I don’t have any credentials or anything that really screams “PICK ME!!!” it would be amazing to write an article for your publication, not to mention great for you to have some kids opinions and such thrown around.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Evelyn

Editor’s Note: BTL will be publishing a column written by Evelyn, online and in print.

Dear BTL Editors:
With the article regarding the imminent departure of one of the greatest bosses, mentors and friends of my life (AIDS Partnership Michigan: Best Job…,” BTL – 2/28/13, regarding Barb Murray, outgoing Executive Director), discussions of the recent rise in incidence among young MSM’s locally and nationally (especially MSM’s of color), and the alarm bells ringing concerning potential additional State and Federal cuts to HIV Prevention and Treatment funding under the potential “Sequester” situation (further decimating an already hemorrhaging ASO community), I am compelled to challenge everyone in our community to consider the possibility that the time has come to resurrect a very visible, motivated and ubiquitous ACT-UP effort!!
How many of our friends and family members have to die this time around before we declare that GOP hate and Democrat inaction must be upended?!
It’s time to fight like our lives depend on it – Because they DO!
Thank you.
Tony O’Rourke-Quintana
Proud Local Activist